Grant County, Oregon
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 41023 · population 7,203 · 4,528 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 298 records for Grant County, Oregon from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 222 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (109 records). 217 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the September 7, 2020 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1964, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Wildfires” on January 1, 2025.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 298on 222 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 10 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.7Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2025
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Grant County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 109 since 2000. 53% of its winter storm records since 2000 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Oregon's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 109 | 79 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 36 |
| Wildfires | 61 | 49 | 2002-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 36 |
| Hail | 33 | 23 | 1982-2023 | 0 | 0 | $90K | 18 of 36 |
| High wind and dust storms | 27 | 21 | 1999-2022 | 1 | 0 | $42K | 33 of 36 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 18 | 16 | 1982-2024 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 27 of 36 |
| Extreme cold | 13 | 10 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 36 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 29 of 36 |
| Heat | 13 | 9 | 2002-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 36 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 36 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 2003-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 36 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 36 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 29 of 36 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 36 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Grant County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Grant County from 2003 to 2023, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 3 tornadoes whose track touched Grant County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Oregon.
Every tornado record filed for Grant County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-05 | Canyon City, Grant County | EF0 0.23 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-07-19 | Ritter, Grant County | F1 2.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-10-04 | Fox, Grant County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Grant County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 7, 2020 high wind (1 death).
Tree fell on individual in the Ochoco National Forest.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 909475)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-12 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillGilliam County and 5 more · forecast zone Southern Blue Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-12 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | Heavy SnowCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-03 | FloodPrairie City, Grant County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-11-05 | TornadoCanyon City, Grant County | EF0 0.23 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-09-07 | High WindCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-30 | HailMonument, Grant County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-08 | FloodMonument Airport, Grant County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2011-05-15 | FloodCanyon City, Grant County | 0 | 0 | $903K | |
| 2004-07-19 | TornadoRitter, Grant County | F1 2.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-10-04 | TornadoFox, Grant County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-08-10 | Thunderstorm WindJohn Day Airport, Grant County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-07 | High WindCrook County and 4 more · forecast zone Ochoco-John Day Highlands Tree fell on individual in the Ochoco National Forest. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-08 | FloodMonument Airport, Grant County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2011-05-15 | FloodCanyon City, Grant County | 0 | 0 | $903K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Grant County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 66 z | 28 |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 31 | 30 | 0 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 14 | 9 | 3 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 66 records against 15 in the decade before, 66 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Grant County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its winter storm records since 2000 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 32 · Mar 7 · Apr 6 · May 19 · Jun 24 · Jul 51 · Aug 38 · Sep 15 · Oct 6 · Nov 21 · Dec 43 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grant County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Grant County: 6 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 6 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (7) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | DR-4854 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2024-09-07 | FM-5534 | Fire | Rail Ridge Fire |
| 2024-07-21 | FM-5513 | Fire | Boneyard Fire |
| 2024-07-21 | FM-5514 | Fire | Battle Mountain Fire Complex |
| 2024-07-18 | FM-5512 | Fire | Falls Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4499 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3429 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-07-09 | DR-4452 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-15 | FM-5102 | Fire | Canyon Creek Fire Complex |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3228 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-02-19 | DR-1510 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2002-07-19 | FM-2448 | Fire | Or - Flagtail Fire - 07/19/02 |
| 1997-01-23 | DR-1160 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Land and Mudslides, Flooding |
| 1977-04-29 | EM-3039 | Drought | Drought |
| 1964-12-24 | DR-184 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Grant County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Grant County from 1998 to 2025, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grant County ranks 2291st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $53,000 on 12 claims filed in Grant County; the most in one year was 3 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1997: 3 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Grant County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grant County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 139 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $439K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $22K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $6K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $46K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $12 | once in about 385 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $93K | 2.9 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grant County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in OregonEvery Oregon tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in OregonThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Oregon recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Grant CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grant County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis